Car-coupling



(No ModeL) P. J. TAGGART.

GAR COUPLING.

N0. 333,357. I Patented Dec. 29, 1335.

NITED STATES FRANK, J. TAGGAR'I, OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN.

CAR-COUPLING.

FJPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 333,357, dated December 29, 1885.

Application filed October 6, 1885. Serial No. 179,149. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK J. TAGGART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Adrian, in the county of Lenawee and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car- Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in automatic car-couplings; and it consists in certain novelty of construction and arrangement of the various parts, all of which I will now proceed to point out and describe, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section showing the draw-bar in position after it has entered the draw-head and is coupled, dotted lines showing position to uncouple. Fig. 2 is an end view; and Fig. 3, a vertical cross-section on line a; m, Fig. 1.

Referring to said drawings, A is the drawhead, provided with the rectangular mouth a, having outwardly beveled or flaring edges a.

A is a shoulder on the inner lower side of the mouth a, with which the draw-bar, hereinafter described, engages to effect the coupling.

-B is a partition or buffer-head extending down nearly to the bottom of the inside of the draw-head, its lower edge being in a plane with the upper edge of the shoulder A. Against this partition the draw-bar strikes when it enters the draw-head.

O is the draw-bar, having shoulders c and pointed or rounded ends 0.

As the cars come together the pointed end of the draw-bar strikes against the beveled edges of the mouth a, and is guided into said month, said draw-bar being so placed that the shoulders c are on its under side, the weight of the draw-bar causing it to drop down as it enters the draw-head, and one of the shoulders c engages with the shoulder A and couples the cars, the partition B limiting the distance the draw-bar enters the draw-head.

D is a releasing-lever fulcrumed at d, and having the arm D projecting under the partition B and completely filling the bottom of the outer end of the draw-head. \Vhen said lever is raised, its upper side is in a plane with the upper edge of the shoulder A, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. 1. lever is connected by a rod, E, with the crankarm 6, by means of which said lever is operated. The crank-arm is secured to the end of the car, and any suitable device may be used for locking it, so as to hold the lever in any desired position.

When it is desired to uncouple the cars, the

crank is turned down, forcing the inner end of the lever down and raising the arm D, which lifts the draw-bar and releases it from engagement with the shoulder A and uncouples the cars.

G is a metal retaining-strap secured to the outer end of the lever D, and when said outer end is lowered said strap engages with the top of the draw-bar and prevents it from getting out of position. This strap also serves to hold the draw-bar in position to enter the drawhead of an approaching car, and by raising or lowering the lever the draw-bar can be given the proper pitch. The beveled edges of the mouth of the draw-head permit the draw-bar to enter the mouth of the draw-head of an approaching carat any angle. This is a great advantage, especially in coupling cars in which the draw-heads are in different planes.

If desired, instead of the retaining-strap, a movable jaw, secured by suitable guides to the top of the inner sides of the draw-head and operated by a spring, may be used, the spring forcing the jaw down on top of the draw-bar.

His a pin-hole in whichapin can be inserted when it is necessary to couple with a car using the old style of link-and-pin coupler. A pinhole can also be made in either end of the draw-bar, as shown in dotted lines. It will thus be seen that with my invention the operation of coupling and uncoupling can be eftected without going between the cars, as it is only necessary to turn the crank to place the draw-bar in position to couple or uncouple.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a car-coupling, the draw-head A, having the mouth a, shoulder A, partition B, and lever D, in combination with the draw-bar 0, having the shoulders c, all arranged and operating substantially as shown and described.

The inner arm of the k 2. In a car-coupling, the draw-head A, having the mouth a, shoulder A, partition B, and lover D, with the retaining-strap G, in combination with the draw-bar'O, having the shoulders c, all arranged and operating substantially as shown and described.

3. In a car-coupling, the draw-head A, having the mouth a, beveled edges a, shoulder A, partition B, and the lever D, arm E, and

OTTO FLUEGEL. 

